History Series / TheSingOff

* BassoProfundo: Many, but season 3's Avi Kaplan from Music/{{Pentatonix}} and season 4's Tim Foust from Home Free are the most prominent examples.

** In an in-show example: Season 4's Home Free's performance of [[Music/JohnnyCash "Ring of Fire"]] made a ''big'' impact with the audience and judges with the ending, when their BassoProfundo Tim Foust hit (and ''sustained'') a floor-shaking F# on the last "fire". In later episodes, a lot of their competitors started tapping their basses to do similar things.

* TheChick: Despite five seasons, [=PTX=] member Kirstie Maldonaldo is the only woman to have been in a winning group.

* NeoclassicalPunkZydecoRockabilly: This can happen with some of the more exotic groups.
** Season 1 winners Nota are from Puerto Rico, and it shows.
** Season 3's Music/{{Pentatonix}} incorporated electronic influences, while Urban Method featured a "rapapella" style (mixing rapping and ''a cappella'' singing, which worked surprisingly well).
** Season 4's Home Free was the show's first ''a capella'' country group.

%% PowerTrio: The judges.

NeedsWikiMagicLove.

* TheChick: despite five seasons, [=PTX=] member Kirstie Maldonaldo is the only woman to have been in a winning group.

* CommercialBreakCliffhanger

* TheCoverChangesTheGender: Done whenever applicable.

* PowerTrio: The judges.

* UnCancelled: After taking a year off, it was brought back for a fourth season in 2013. The year after ''that'', the entire season was a 2-hour special which only involved 9 performances by competitors, six in the first round and three in the second after half the groups had been sent home. (YouTube has some video of the {{Cut Song}}s from those three groups.)

* AuthorAppeal: More like Judge Appeal; most of the judges have a background working with ''a cappella'' (Ben produced an album of covers of his songs done by college ''a cappella'' groups, Sara was in a college ''a cappella'' group, and Music/BoyzIIMen still regularly perform songs this way).

* UnCancelled: After taking a year off, it was brought back for a fourth season in 2013.

** This becomes the new method of elimination in season 4, with the two groups mock-dueling each other by singing different parts of one song for the judges to make their final evaluations.

* IncrediblyLongNote: Michael from the Dartmouth Aires managed to belt out a high A-flat for so long it messed his own group up. The performance was in a [[TitleDrop literal sing-off]] with another group to help the judges decide who got to go to the finals.

* PissTakeRap: While remarking on a performance by "rapapella" group Urban Method, Ben Folds improvised[[note]]Ben's rap was actually lifted from a song called "Get That Bug Out Of Your System" by his old band Majosha. It showed up again in a song called "For Those of Y'all Who Wear Fanny Packs" on Ben Folds Five's B-sides collection, "Naked Baby Photos."[[/note]] some extremely nerdy freestyle. HilarityEnsued.

* ShoutOut:
** Any high school group is going to be greeted with some comparison to ''Series/{{Glee}}''.
** In Season 3, Sonos chose Boyz II Men's "It's So Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday" as their Swan Song upon elimination. Shawn was visibly embarrassed.
** In Season 3, Michael from the Dartmouth Aires shouted "Sing-Off!" in three of their performances. Four, if you count their [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V8aBj9ThfSA audition video.]]
** The Yellowjackets' Swan Song (from Season 3) has several shout-outs, both to the judges and to the show.
** The Princeton Footnotes paused their performance to sing, "[[AscendedFanboy We love you Ben]]!" during season 4.
** Home Free and The Filharmonic's sing-off in season four was "I'm Alright", the signature song from ''Film/{{Caddyshack}}'', and their choreography featured nods to events in the film, including Home Free's Rob Lundquist doing the gopher's shimmy dance.

* IncrediblyLongNote: Michael from the Dartmouth Aires managed to belt out a high A-flat for so long it messed his own group up. Doubles as a CrowningMomentOfAwesome since this performance was in a [[TitleDrop literal sing-off]] with another group to help the judges decide who got to go to the finals.

''The Sing-Off'' is an American RealityTV [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin singing competition]] featuring ''ACappella'' groups. It premiered on Creator/{{NBC}} on December 14, 2009, and was cancelled for a couple years after its third season.

It's hosted by Nick Lachey (formerly of the BoyBand 98 Degrees); with judges Music/BenFolds, Shawn Stockman (of the R&B vocal group Boyz II Men), and various women in the third seat: [[Music/PussyCatDolls Nicole Scherzinger]] in Season 1, Music/SaraBareilles in the second and third seasons, and Music/{{Jewel}} in Season 4. For Season 5, Folds was not available due to his touring obligations; Music/FallOutBoy's Patrick Stump was brought in instead.

Unlike many other music-based TV competitions, all the groups viewers see from the start of the season are made up of excellent musicians, and the entertainment value comes from the music itself rather than schadenfreude over poor performers. The judges (especially Music/BenFolds) often offer [[ShownTheirWork in-depth musical critiques]], making the show a treat for knowledgeable musicians as well as general fans.

It's hosted by Nick Lachey (formerly of the BoyBand 98 Degrees); with judges Music/BenFolds, Shawn Stockman (of the R&B vocal group Boyz II Men), and various women in the third seat: [[Music/PussyCatDolls Nicole Scherzinger]] in Season 1, Music/SaraBareilles in the second and third seasons, and Music/{{Jewel}} in Season 4.

* ThatCameOutWrong: Sara Bareilles has a few "why did I just say that" moments in the first episode of Season 3.
-->'''Bareilles''' [''regarding [[spoiler:Afro Blue]]'']: ...and I also wrote down that you're all very attractive, so... [''general laughter''] ...maybe I need to work on taking notes, [[DiggingYourselfDeeper but you're all very good looking in addition to sounding amazing]] -- [''to Ben Folds, leaning over to read her pad''] -- it's on there, it is on there. I know. [[RefugeInAudacity Get over it.]]

Its fourth season finally premiered on December 9, 2013.

* CrowdSong: The opening number each week is a number done by all of the groups (in the first part of Season 3, this was changed to all of the groups in that week's bracket).
** Happens literally when Ben Folds and the Dartmouth Aires perform Ben's song "Not the Same" in season 3.

** Finally {{subverted}} in the finale of season 3, when Nick joined forces with Music/{{Pentatonix}} to perform (you guessed it) a 98 Degrees song, "Una Noche." In Season 4, 98 Degrees (who had reunited to tour with Music/TheNewKidsOnTheBlock at that time) performed in the finale.

''The Sing-Off'' is an American [[RealityTV television]] [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin singing competition]] featuring ''ACappella'' groups. It premiered on Creator/{{NBC}} on December 14, 2009, and was cancelled for a couple years after its third season.

''ACappella'' groups are chosen by audition and advanced in the competition based on judges' eliminations until the finale, where the winners are determined by viewer votes. The winning group receives a cash prize and a Sony Music recording contract.

Unlike many other music-based TV competitions, auditions aren't part of the show, so all the groups viewers see are made up of excellent musicians. The entertainment value comes from the music itself rather than schadenfreude over poor performers. The judges (especially Music/BenFolds) often offer [[ShownTheirWork in-depth musical critiques]], making the show a treat for knowledgeable musicians as well as general fans.

It's hosted by Nick Lachey (formerly of the BoyBand 98 Degrees); with judges Music/BenFolds, Shawn Stockman (of the R&B vocal group Boyz II Men), and various women in the third seat: [[Music/PussyCatDolls Nicole Scherzinger]] in Season 1, SaraBareilles in the second and third seasons, and now {{Music/Jewel}} in Season 4.

!This show contains examples of:

* AuthorAppeal: More like Judge Appeal; most of the judges have a background working with ''ACappella'' (Ben produced an album of covers of his songs done by college ''ACappella'' groups, Sara was in a college ''ACappella'' group, and Music/BoyzIIMen still regularly perform songs this way).

* ConstructiveCriticism: The preferred method, by far, for the judges' criticisms.

* EliminationCatchphrase: Variations on "And now please raise your mics one final time for your Swan Song."

* FollowTheLeader: While much different in tone, plus the ''ACappella'' gimmick making it distinct, it's unmistakably following in the mold of ''Series/AmericanIdol''.
** In an in-show example: after Season 4's Home Free made a big impact with their BassoProfundo, Tim Foust, a lot of their competitors started tapping their basses to do similar things.

* GenreShift: Can happen during the ultimate sing-offs in season 4, due to the groups singing two halves of the same song, each in their own style. Calle Sol's battle with the [=acoUstiKats=] had the song shift between calypso and pop, and Filharmonics battle with Street Corner Renaissance had the song shift between pop and doo-wop.

* [[ReviewerStockPhrases Judge Stock Phrases]]: "Pitchy," "beatboxing," "you did your thing," and any instance where the singers are described like non-vocal instruments.
* NeoclassicalPunkZydecoRockabilly: This can happen with some of the more exotic groups. Music/{{Pentatonix}} and Urban Method from season 3 were notable examples, with Music/{{Pentatonix}} using electronic influences and Urban Method's "rapapella" style (mixing rapping and ''ACappella'' singing, which worked surprisingly well).
** Season 4 sees the show's first A Capella Country group, Home Free.

** Finally {{subverted}} in the finale of season 3, when Nick joined forces with Music/{{Pentatonix}} to perform (you guessed it) a 98 Degrees song, "Una Noche."

* PissTakeRap: While remarking on a performance by "rapapella" group Urban Method, Music/BenFolds improvised[[note]]Ben's rap was actually lifted from a song called "Get That Bug Out Of Your System" by his old band Majosha. It showed up again in a song called "For Those of Y'all Who Wear Fanny Packs" on Ben Folds Five's B-sides collection, "Naked Baby Photos."[[/note]] some extremely nerdy freestyle. HilarityEnsued.

* SesquipedalianLoquaciousness: Music/BenFolds sometimes employs it [[PlayedForLaughs for laughs]]. "Thumbs aloft, gentlemen."
** He even lampshaded it in Season 4: "Are you {{calling me a|logarithm}} sesquipedalian?"

** In Season 3, Sonos chose Boyz II Men's "It's So Hard To Say Goodbye To Yesterday" as their Swan Song upon elimination. Shawn was visibly embarrassed.

* ShownTheirWork: Ben Folds in particular will show off his familiarity with the mechanics and techniques of ''ACappella'' singing, the other judges as well if less frequently.

* ThatCameOutWrong: SaraBareilles has a few "why did I just say that" moments in the first episode of Season 3.

* TitleDrop: Season 3 introduced the first official "Sing-Off," in which the two lowest-ranked groups battled each other for elimination, each performing the same song for the judges.
** This becomes the new method of elimination in season 4.